Extract from Chapter 8: How to sell your work in the digital age

The concept of the literary agent was invented in the late nineteenth century. A number of informed observers of the then literary scene noticed that publishers were, relatively speaking, big, powerful, experienced in the ways of the book trade, and commercially savvy. Writers, by contrast, were small, weak, knew nothing about the book trade, and were commercially clueless.

In those circumstances, writers might not always be given a square deal. Indeed the standard operating procedure for some publishers was that the writers were sold short. (Never give a sucker an even break.) This created an opportunity for a few bright boys who did understand the book trade, and some of them decided to set themselves up as authors’ agents: in this role, they offered to negotiate contracts on behalf of the less experienced writers, making sure that they were paid a fair share of the proceeds.

Because these agents were familiar with the book trade, they were in a position to know what publishers could really afford to pay, and what constituted reasonably fair terms and what didn’t. So, the agent would represent, let us say, one hundred writers. He would deal with publishers on the writers’ behalf, and he would take 10% of the writers’ earnings by way of recompense.

This was soon recognised by writers as being an attractive deal, at least if the agent was honest, reliable, and hard-working. True, writers lost 10% of their income, but they usually gained a more financially rewarding contract as a result. And in those quaint old days, you will note, the writer simply chose and appointed the agent; she didn’t have to beg and grovel to be taken on to the agent’s list.

That was how the agency business began. Over the course of time, however, relationships have shifted.


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